Hanoi to recycle construction waste

Hanoi authorities have approved a construction waste recycling project that can
replace some of the materials used in building pavements and rural roads.

The project, proposed by the municipal Construction Department, will use
advanced equipment that will remove the need for burying the waste, which is an
environmentally-unfriendly solution.

Besides, landfills in the capital city are already overloaded with the large
volume of solid waste generated each day.

The Hanoi Solid Waste Treatment and Environmental Development Joint Stock
Company will pilot the project in five districts: Hoang Mai, Cau Giay; Bac Tu
Liem; Thanh Tri and Dong Anh.

The project will crush construction waste with machines imported from Germany
and Austria.

Company director Dang Tien Thanh said this project will ensure that construction
waste like broken bricks, cement, mortar and bitumen will be crushed, not
buried.

The treated waste can replace construction materials such as black sand or
macadam used in construction projects that do not require heavy load, such as
pavements.

It can also be used to make by-products such as baking-free bricks or concrete
for building rural roads.

The advanced technology will help to save land use and construction costs for
new waste treatment facilities, he said.

The company applied the recycling construction waste technology for the first
time in April at the construction site of the third ring road section from Mai
Dich to Nam Thang Long.

However, Thanh said there were still several difficulties in applying new
technologies. He said there was insufficient legal foundation for organisations
and individuals to carry out solid waste treatment projects.

Vietnam also lacked technical standards for using by-products of treated waste,
he said.

Thanh also noted that regulations on construction waste treatment did not cover
the responsibilities of investors in treating such waste. As a result, the
illegal practice of dumping construction waste continued.

According to the municipal Construction Department, about 2,000 tonnes of solid
waste are discharged by construction sites in Hanoi each day.

Some of this waste is taken to four landfills in Dong Anh and Thuong Tín
districts. However, these landfills are already overloaded.

In 2011, the Hanoi People’s Committee approved a project to set up 14 areas to
collect and treat construction waste, but the lack of land has prevented its
implementation to date.

This figure includes 3.5 trillion VND (155 million USD) from now until 2020.

The plan estimates that by 2030, more than 16,000 tonnes of solid waste
discharged by households, industrial parks, construction sites and hospitals
will have to be treated every day.

Seventeen solid waste treatment facilities, including eight existing ones, have
been zoned off. The total area required for these facilities will be 422ha.

To carry out the project efficiently, the local administration has said that it
will adopt policies and enhance communication campaigns to raise public
awareness of environmental protection and initiate classification of solid
waste by households.

The Hanoi Party Committee has promulgated a resolution on enhancing
environmental protection until 2020 and beyond.

Under this, the capital city will focus on protection and sustainable use of
water resources, effective management of discharges and cleaning up
contaminated rivers and lakes.

By 2020, the city aims to complete treatment of waste from polluted lakes in
the city and provide clean water to all rural residents. Waste treatment
systems will be installed in all industrial parks and clusters, hospitals,
medical centres and craft villages.

Meanwhile, the city has requested all construction sites to take measures to
reduce dust and air pollution.

Mineral processing facilities have also been told to implement solutions to
protect the environment, including the application of modern technologies to
reduce emissions.

The city aims to increase recycling and reduce the burial of waste.
Relevant agencies have been tasked with preparing a master plan to deal with
water pollution in rivers.

Aiming to effect fundamental changes in environmental protection in the next
three years, Hanoi has ordered departments and sectors at all levels to step-up
coordination in reducing pollution.

Apart from raising public awareness, the city will focus on refining policies
and laws on environmental protection. It will also promulgate technical
requirements on environmental protection in high-risk fields, urban areas with
high population density and sensitive ecological regions.

Regulations on environmental protection will be revised towards preventing
investment projects that use backward technology and production models with a
high risk of pollution. Competent agencies will step up inspections to detect
and tackle any violations of environmental regulations.

The city will also establish a centre for environment data management this year
to examine waste discharge. It will also move facilities causing serious
environmental pollution away from residential areas.-VNA